Traffic along Skinner Street in Victoria West leading up to the Bay Street Bridge is backed up longer than usual today due to the closure of the Johnson Street Bridge for construction work on the new span. Drivers are asked to use alternate routes if possible, such as Burnside Road or further inland.

Bridge closure causes traffic mess in Victoria’s western approaches

Drivers coming into Victoria from the city’s western approaches this morning are facing longer than usual waits in traffic this morning due to the closure of the Johnson Street Bridge for construction work on the new span.

Traffic along Craigflower Road/Skinner Street in Victoria West leading up to the Bay Street Bridge was backed up longer than usual today, with vehicles that would usually use the Johnson Street Bridge shifting over to Bay Street for their trip into the downtown and eastern parts of the region. Gorge Road was also busier between Tillicum Road and Douglas Street as commuters shifted away from the Esquimalt Road corridor.

Drivers were being asked to use alternate routes if possible, such as Burnside Road or further inland.

Having successfully installed the bridge deck yesterday, crews worked overnight on securing the deck and getting things ready for the installation today of the steel roadway infill panel, which sits between the main bridge deck and the rings.

Project director Jonathan Huggett said optimistically that if the work were to be completed sooner, the old bridge may be opened to traffic before the scheduled opening time of 5 p.m., which would allow outbound commuters to have another route away from downtown.

The new Johnson Street Bridge deck span is guided into place Sunday, while the old bridge (left) sits in the up position. The current bridge remains up today as crews finish the heavy lifting of the final piece of the structure. The bridge may be ready for this afternoon’s outbound commuter rush, but is scheduled to be closed to traffic until 5 p.m. Don Descoteau/Victoria News